Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
Godkiller has an interesting world and explores topics like when needing validation becomes wanting total power. There’s great disability, mental health, and LGBTQIA+ rep, plus court intrigue. What’s not to like?
Tag: LGBTQIA
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
This audiobook single-handedly made me a Juno Dawson fan for life. Can I please be in her coven? If you like morally grey characters, an ensemble cast, and a fab balance of character- and action-driven plot, pick this one up.
The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta
The Heartbreak Bakery is a sweet, diverse YA that follows Syd, a baker who’s figuring out themselves and love as they emerge from a 4-year situationship.
Night of the Living Queers by Shelly Page and Alex Brown
Night of the Living Queers is a collection of spooky short stories with LGBTQIA+ main characters, and it was 10x better than expected. Seriously, only *one* of the 13 tales in here was weak. Some of them genuinely freaked me out.
Role Playing by Cathy Yardley
This was such a mixed bag, for me. Great LGBTQIA representation, complex adult feelings, older protagonists, and (I think) lampooning of classic romance tropes. On the other hand, the pacing was inconsistent, the MMORPG references were distractingly exclusive, the book was twice as long as it needed to be and the secondary characters fell flat.
Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline
Into the Bright Open is a YA retelling of The Secret Garden, but with a more realistically diverse cast and a sinister villain. It was a light, quick read that left me wanting more depth and development.
Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
Blackfish City is an imaginative dystopian with astute social commentary and plenty of intrigue. And although our tech isn’t there yet, it’s easy to see this actually happening in the near future.
The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy
The Witch of Tin Mountain combines parallel timelines of 1931 and 1881 in Arkansas. It’s got incredible diversity, plus some supernatural spoopiness and witchy vibes.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a whimsical fantasy with a sweet, slow-burn romance. It’s about home, so of course it made me cry.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Characters: 5, the characters weren’t developed, but I did care what happened to them. This story didn’t seem to be meant to be deep or emotionally moving, more of a slice-of-life urban adventure built on a cute premise, with a dash of romance and a large helping of found family. But all the secondary characters, including the love interest, were plot functions only and their personality was largely “humans discriminate against me for my race”. Atmosphere: 8, I was definitely craving coffee (and pastries) while reading this! The description of the coffee house, the town, and the power politics at […]